Eyeglass case



April 1,1952 EN z,59o,,955

Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES z,590,9ss'

PATENT OFFICE EYEGLASS CASE Application January 16, 1951, Serial No. 206,225

This invention relates to a case formed of plastic material. More particularly it relates' to a plastic case formed in two sections which are adapted to be hinged to one another without any need for the employment of a separate hinging device, such as a pin, rivet, screw, or the like.

In the production of cases of plastic materials, such as the case used to illustrate the instant invention, it is found desirable by the use of molding operations to produce, as two separate units, the two parts which are to be mutually hinged together. It has hitherto been found necessary to use some third fastening member to accomplish the hinged joining. Not only is the use of such third member undesirable, but it demands another operation in the process of assembly, and since such thirdl member is usually formed of a much stronger material than the plastic used for the body of the case, the insertion and fastening of such separate hinging member often leads to breaking of the plastic body sections, especially if such assembly operation be performed by machine.

One object of this invention is to give to the molded body sections of a case such shape that mutually engaging elements upon each section can easily be inter-engaged so as to constitute a hinge, without need of using any third fastening element to complete the hinge.

Another object of this invention is so to form a two-piece case of plastic material, that a simple interlocking of the two main body pieces thereof will accomplish the effective hinging together of the two pieces.

A further object of this invention is to reduce the cost of manufacture of hinged plastic cases, and the like, by eliminating the need for extraheous hinging parts, separate from the body of the case.

Yet another purpose of this invention is to reduce the time of manufacture of plastic cases, by simplification of the operation of hinging the two main parts together.

Still another purpose of this invention is to provide such a plastic case in which the hinge is formed autogenously with the body parts, thereby avoiding the presence of hard metal or the like in the assembled structure.

Other purposes and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

For the purposes of illustration, and solely by way of example, this invention is here described in connection with a shallow case suited for glasses or the like, and it is to be understood that the invention is by no means limited to a case of 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-31) 2 this particular shape, but is applicable to a wide variety of shapes and sizes of plastic cases, and the following description is therefore understood to be by way of illustration, and not of limitation.

Reference is now made to the hereunto appended drawings.

Fig. l is a plan view of an assembled case, showing the hinges in the open position of the two sections of the case.

Fig. 2 is a back elevation of the closed case.

Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation showing details of the hinge.

Fig. 4 is a partly sectional side elevation showing the hinge.

Figs. 5 and 6 are further detailed views of the hinge portion.

Reference is now made to the drawings, in which Hl and ll denote the two main sections of a case. These can be of any desired and suitable shape, as this is not directly pertinent to the hinging action. Section l0 is provided with a shelf l2, extending longitudinally of the edge, adjacent the other section. The ends of this shelf are provided with integrally molded and longitudinally extending pins [3, l3.

The other main section Il is provided at each end with Shelf-like extensions l4, provided respectively with socket portions 15, integrally molded therewith and spaced apart so as each to receive therein a single pin |3 of section lll.

As most clearly seen in Fig. 3, the socket 15 is' formed with an entrant portion l6 having a width generally greater than the diameter of the pin 13, and a bottom portion I'I of generally rounded contour and of a radius slightly larger than that of the pin [3, so that When the latter is once seated therein it may turn freely, thus constituting the hinge element of the case. Ears [8 are provided on the sides of the entrant portion, to retain the pin in portion I'I of the socket.

Since all plastic materials are possessed of a certain degree of resiliency, the combination of the two main sections of the case is made by forcing the two pins IS, respectively, through the portions [5 of the two sockets, the ears IB being engaged by the pins and thus laterally forcing the plastic walls of the socket to separate sufficiently to allow the pins to pass beyond the ears. The pins will then snap into place in the rounded bottom portions ll of the respective sockets, while the entrant portions l6 will resume their previous spacing, by virtue of the resilient qualities of the plastic of which the sockets are formed, the ears l preventing the pins [3 from accidentally emergingifrom the sockets, and thereby causing an unwanted unhinging action.

If it be desired intentionally to separate the two main portions of the case, for example, if one portion needs replacement, the pins |3 can readily be forced out through portions IB of the sockets, in the same manner in which they originally were passed therethrough, when assembling the case, namely by the pins pressing upon the ears and thereby forcing the walls of portion 16 momentarily to be spread farther apart, in a resilient manner.

Having now particularly described and shown my invention, what I claim and desire to be protected by United States Letters Patent, is particularized and set forth in the hereunto appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A case of plastic material formed in two sections, longitudinally extending pins adjacent each end of the first section, and longitudinally extending sockets adjacent each end of the second section, said sockets each including an entrant portion open at one end for the entry of one of said pins therein and terminating at the other end in a generally rounded bottom portion, and at least one ear extending inwardly in trant portion to be at one point slightly less than said entrant portion, whereby to make the effective width of said entrant portion at one point above said rounded bottom portion to be slightly less than the diameter of said pin, and the diameter of said rounded bottom portion being slightly greater than said diameter of said pin, whereby said pin can be inserted through said entrant portion and forced past said ear by resilient expansion of the plastic material constituting the socket, and can then enter into and freely rotate within said rounded bottom portion, whereby to constitute a hinge for said two portions of the case.

2. A two-piece hinged case of plastic material, including autogenous hinges molded integrally with each piece, said hinges being constituted by the diameter of a pin, and a substantially cylindrical bottom portion of diameter slightly greater than that of a pin, whereby said pins can enter said sockets, respectively, by pressing apart said ears laterally, so as to spread apart the respective walls of said entrant portions and can freely turn within said bottom socket portions, so as to constitute hinges for the two pieces.

3. A hinge structure adapted for use upon articles formed of plastic material, comprising a male portion in the form of a pin of substantially uniform diameter, and a female portion in the form of a socket provided with a generally cylindrically formed working aperture within Which said pin can turn freely, a passageway extending from said working aperture to the exterior of the socket, said passageway having generally a width slightly greater than the diameter of the pin, and a pair of inwardly projecting ears within said passageway, spaced apart by a distance slightly less than the diameter of a pin, whereby said pin can be forced through said passageway into said working aperture, by laterally separating said ears, and thereby forcibly expanding the width of said passageway, so as to permit passage therethrough of said pin, said expansion being possible by reason of the natural resiliency of the plastic material of which the hinge is formed.

IRVIN J. GERSHEN.

REFEREN CES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Radde Dec. 19, 1950 Number 

